# Smokin a fake Cohiba 1966 EL 2011



## bpegler (Mar 30, 2006)

Well I was going to wait until I got a second one of these from the source and compare it to the one Jeff-Harley 33 sent to me. Unfortunately the source much have read a couple of my posts and changed his mind about sending me a cigar to review.

I guess we'll never be buddies, TL and I.

Anyway, to the cigar. Nice looking wrapper. Dark, some oily sheen. The two bands are in place, this one isn't unbanded. The gold lettering on the Cohiba band is raised and looks correct, although the black checkering is a bit darker than on the bands I compared it to. Nicely done Pigtail, this is a high quality fake.

Pre light draw is perfect.

The ash is dark grey.

Surprisingly, an inch into this cigar and a smile came to my face.

I know this cigar.

I go into my house and check wrapper colors.

They match.

Size is a bit larger, but I would say that the flavor profile matches one of my custom cigars.

The Custom G. Ed.

The G. Ed. Was custom rolled to resemble a Grand Edmundo, EL 2010. It wasn't a perfect match, but the vendor didnt claim it was. It was a decent custom cigar.

Retail price $12 US.

This cigar has that same blend and wrapper, imho.

No wonder a lot of BOTLs liked them, they were smoking a decent custom, albeit a little young. 

Also, this cigar is a bit on the sweet side. Bull and I have a lot of the same preferences in cigars, but I like the sweeter customs, and he doesn't. Bull, I think I might have sent you a Custom G. Ed., if I did try to remember the profile, and see what you think.

So what does my experience matter in the larger world of Habanos?

Not a great deal. I'm hardly an expert.

But I'm pretty sure I'm smoking a medium level custom Cuban rolled by a factory level roller using decent tobacco.

As for the markup on these, it must have been huge. 

Well friends, that's my take on this cigar.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Bob
Thanks for taking the time....
Good to know it was a custom
Sad to know it wasn't as represented.
Live and learn

and someone is making a killing on these


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## ckay (May 10, 2010)

Thanks for your thoughts Bob. I've been waiting to hear of your thoughts.


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## Mutombo (Aug 3, 2010)

Interesting. Thanks for the post. Hope not too many brothers on here were scammed...


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## Rodeo (May 25, 2009)

Thanks for the investigative work Bob, i found that really interesting.

Could I tell the difference between a $12 Custom Roll and a pre-release Cohiba worth upwards of $50 that very few people have ever smoked? I think not. Apparently I'm not alone


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Thanks Bob for confirming my suspicions on all these pre releases and htf!


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## swingerofbirches (Jan 12, 2010)

Awesome stuff, Bob! Thanks for posting!
I didn't pick up any G. Ed.s but I recall you saying they were good smokes! Sucks that people got scammed though.


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## Batista30 (Sep 13, 2010)

Thanks Bob for the review and subsequent comparison. So while the Custom roll is a decent cigar for the money it is no way worth the price at which these sold for (even putting aside the deceptive practices). I haven't smoked either of them but definitely enjoy threads like these which unveil information you can't find elsewhere. Thanks again.


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## bdw1984 (May 6, 2009)

I just got mine in the mail today... looking forward to reviewing this as well


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## thegoldenmackid (Mar 16, 2010)

And this is why TL's scam was a great one. How many people outside of Habanos employees have smoked Diplomatic Cubans that have any cigar experience that would allow them to make judgements as to the authenticity.

I really wonder what his game would have been once these pre-releaes came out.


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

thegoldenmackid said:


> And this is why TL's scam was a great one. How many people outside of Habanos employees have smoked Diplomatic Cubans that have any cigar experience that would allow them to make judgements as to the authenticity.
> 
> I really wonder what his game would have been once these pre-releaes came out.


Who is this "TL"?


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## bpegler (Mar 30, 2006)

sengjc said:


> Who is this "TL"?


If you don't know it's a good thing. He's a purveyer of high end counterfeit Cuban cigars. A lot of good BOTLs were scammed.


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## thegoldenmackid (Mar 16, 2010)

sengjc said:


> Who is this "TL"?


TripleLigero.

Figured we should at least inform those given this is (in all likelihood) going to become a problem in the future if history says anything.

With Puff's strick rules on sources and what not, that's about all I think we should say on the issue. It is being heavily resolved in the place where it is going on and I think all discussion should take place there, apologies for opening up that here though.

I'd like to hear more about the cigars, particularly someone opening one up and comparing it to a real one.


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## harley33 (Mar 27, 2009)

I am one of the people that got taken for a ride.... over paying for a custom roll doesn't bother me as much as I sent them out to others with the intent that they were the real things.... that pisses me off.

So, everyone learn from me..... the 2 golden rules...

1-know you source, trust your source. I trusted, but didn't know him.

2-too good to be true? nine times out of ten, it probably is.

Carry on... I think that I am going to go enjoy a $40 custom roll with the Saturday morning paper....


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

harley33 said:


> I am one of the people that got taken for a ride.... over paying for a custom roll doesn't bother me as much as I sent them out to others with the intent that they were the real things.... that pisses me off.
> 
> So, everyone learn from me..... the 2 golden rules...
> 
> ...


Jeff
You should not be pissed.
Frankly, in the big scheme this has been a great experience for any that have paid attention. I know I have learned a ton. Thank you !


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## Rodeo (May 25, 2009)

Great attitude and advice Jeff, and enjoy that cigar bro!


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

I read a couple of pages sad really. There are 32 pages on the subject. I personally do not intend to read them all. After the first couple of pages the speciousness becomes the obvious.


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## JGD (Mar 2, 2009)

thegoldenmackid said:


> And this is why TL's scam was a great one. How many people outside of Habanos employees have smoked Diplomatic Cubans that have any cigar experience that would allow them to make judgements as to the authenticity.
> 
> I really wonder what his game would have been once these pre-releaes came out.


I figured I would clear up misconception that people were wondering about when this whole thing first came to light:

There are people on the boards that have had the opportunity to smoke real diplomatic realease Cohibas. The have said that there is no difference between their blend and the regular production Cohibas. Instead they are "hand picked" from the lot to ensure they are the best looking cigars. When you buy real diplomatic smokes on the secondary market all you are paying for is that extra band.


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## harley33 (Mar 27, 2009)

I think what Richard (I'll call him Dick for short...) did was a bait and switch thing. The unbanded sticks were forsale first, apparently waiting for the banded ones to come in. As I have said in prior posts, the unbanded sticks are actually good. The second fiver I bought were the banded ones. Those are flat and not the same as the first bunch in my noob opinion. The blend between the batches are definitely different.

See any differences?


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## bigslowrock (May 9, 2010)

JGD said:


> . When you buy real diplomatic smokes on the secondary market all you are paying for is that extra band.


but it is a really pretty band.


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## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

Nice work Bob and appreciate you taking the time to post the review.

I got suckers into buying a fiver of these as well. Thank god it was the only set of sticks I bought from TL. I actually smoked one about two months ago with the local Cincy guys. I don't think Charlie was there that day, but I was really excited to smoke it.

To be honest, it was good, but nothing what I was expecting. I believe Ben asked me how good the cigar was and I said, it's not bad, meaning it was "ok". I guess I was a little disappointed because I was expecting it to be much more than what it was. Nice I can see why I had the thoughts I did because it was a descent custom roll and did not fit the profile of a true Cohiba.


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## ROB968323 (Aug 27, 2008)

Starbuck said:


> Nice work Bob and appreciate you taking the time to post the review.
> 
> I got suckers into buying a fiver of these as well. Thank god it was the only set of sticks I bought from TL. I actually smoked one about two months ago with the local Cincy guys. I don't think Charlie was there that day, but I was really excited to smoke it.
> 
> To be honest, it was good, but nothing what I was expecting. I believe Ben asked me how good the cigar was and I said, it's not bad, meaning it was "ok". I guess I was a little disappointed because I was expecting it to be much more than what it was. Nice I can see why I had the thoughts I did because it was a descent custom roll and did not fit the profile of a true Cohiba.


I smoked one of the un-bandeds too. I thought...this is it huh?? So...now I have to try to get some of the real thing and I'm pretty sure they will be better.


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## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

ROB968323 said:


> I smoked one of the un-bandeds too. I thought...this is it huh?? So...now I have to try to get some of the real thing and I'm pretty sure they will be better.


Word is I believe they will be available this June or July, I can't remember. I got four left and plan to do a comparison when I can get my hands on a box of the real deal.


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